Folding and trimming mechanism for sewing-machines.



1)- 515.55 FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MAGHINES-APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. 1906. Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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. D. ZEISER. FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FELED 170119. 1006. 948,364, Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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QN w 27 1 ZEISER. FOLDING AND TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 19. 1906.

' Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

DAGOBERT ZEISER, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

FOLDING AND TRIMMING- MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAGOBERT ZEISER, of the city of Troy, in the countyof Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Folding and Trimming Mechanism for Sewing-Machines; and I hereby declare that the following description, inconnection with the three sheets of drawings which accompany the same,constitutes a clear and accurate specification thereof and of the bestmethod of operating the same.

The invention relates to mechanism adapted for use in the manufacture ofsuch articles as shoes, gloves and other structures made from leather oranalogous material, where two or more plies of the material are employedone of which constitutes a facing and the other a lining or backing, inthe combination of which it is desired to inturn the edge of one ply,sew the facing and lining together close to the inturned margin, andtrim ofi the projecting selvage of the lining or back ply flush with thefolded margin of the inturned ply, so that the sewed and trimmed marginsof the completed edge of the work shall be even and true and the line ofstitching, the rolled or folded edge of the face ply, and the trimmededge of the lining or back ply, shall be parallel and smooth.

This invention is especially adapted to stitching and trimming the edgesof the uppers of shoes, and generally in finishing articles in fineleather where such an edge is required.

Machines for manufacturing collars and cuffs by continuous operation, inwhich pro visions for inturning the edges of the face and back plies ofthe fabric composing the body of the article and sewing them togetherconcurrently have been combined in one organization, have heretoforeexisted. The machine of this patent differs from such machines in thatinstead of inturning the edges of both plies it infolds the edge of onlyone, leaving the edge of the other projecting beyond the folded edgewhile the two pli'es undergo the process of being sewed together, andtrimming off this projecting edge flush with the folded edge after theplies are sewed together. This trimming operation is probably bestperformed by a cutting mechanism located and acting alongside the needleor slightly in its rear, so that the trimming Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed November 19, 1906.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 343,970.

[ will be performed while the goods or fabrics being operated on will beunder the presser foot and firmly held.

The invention resides in the means provided and in their mode ofoperation where by the mechanism for infolding the edge of one ply hasbeen dispensed with, and provisions for guiding and protecting that edgehave been introduced, and in the provision of a trimming device andmeans for its concurrent operation with the sewing mechanism.

The invention is here shown as applied to the well known .Vheeler &Wilson manufacturing sewing' machine, the construction and operation ofwhich are well understood by sewing machine operators and others versedin the art of operating such machines. It is fully disclosed in thedrawings where- 1n Figure 1 shows an elevation of the head of a sewingmachine and in elevation a View of such parts of the invention as arevisible in a transverse section taken on a plane between the shuttle andthe needle. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such parts of the machine asappear in a longitudinal section taken on the vertical plane of thefront edge of the lower clamping jaw. Fig. 3 is a partial plan of theinfolding and trimming devices. Fig. 4: is an inverted plan of thegearing connected with the driving mechanism. Fig. 5 is a frontelevation of the position of the cooperative parts of the invention asthey appear just before the descent of the presser foot preparatory tothe commencement of the infolding stroke of the turning fingers. Fig. 6is a right hand side elevation of the same parts in the same position.Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively front and side eleva tions of the sameparts at the completion of the infolding stroke, Fig. 7 showing the edgeof the upper ply turned in under the edge of the upper folding blade andstill in the grasp of the turning fingers. Fig. 9 is a plan View of thefabric as it appears in process of manipulation by the mechanism of theinvention.

My invention is shown as applied to a machine having the well knownneedle feed movement, that is, the advancing movement of the materialbeing operated on is effected by a swing of the needle bar and needlewhile the needle is in penetration of the fabric and when the materialis released from the pressure of the presser foot. To carry out myinvention I provide such a machine with a presser foot of special designnot only for holding the material immovable while the stitching andtrimming are being done, but to so shape its bearing face that it willcooperate with other parts in folding and holding down the folded edgeof the upper ply of material undergoing manipulation. I also provide astationary former over and under which the respective plies of materialpass having two thin blades arranged horizontally with a space betweenthem to receive the infolded edge of the upper ply, which blades havetheir operative parts located immediately under the presser foot. Theupper of these blades 1 term the folding blade and the under one thecounter blade to distinguish it from the other. Beneath the presser footand immediately in front of the needle is located a verticallyreciprocating fiat jaw which in its upward movement engages the underside of the bottom ply of material and clamps it between itself and thebottom side of the under blade of the former. In close proximity to theneedle but a little to one side of the line of stitches is located atrimming knife or blade which shears against an under stationary ledgershear blade and trims off the waste edge of the under ply of materialflush with the folded edge of the upper ply. On the upper side of thepresser foot is pivoted a rocking folding finger for folding andinturning the edge of the upper ply in front of the sewing needle. Theseseveral parts are actuated by appropriate op erating mechanism as willnow be shown.

The sewing mechanism, consisting of the needle bar 5, needle 10, presserbar 6, presser foot 7, stripping finger bar 8 and finger 9 performs thesame functions as in the Wheeler 8; Wilson machine before referred to.The shuttle and bobbin 11, and its driving gears 12 and 13 are the sameas in that machine.

In providing a bed or table for the sup port of the material to befolded, sewed and trimmed, that part of it lying to the left of theneedle is slightly raised above the level of that on the right. Directlyin front of the needle is located the folding former 4:7. This formerconsists of av shank which is screwed to a base as at 48, Fig. 3, whichhas a limb projecting at a right angle therefrom toward the needle. Thislimb is grooved as shown at 70, Figs. 6S, thus leaving an upper foldingblade 54 and an under counter blade Blade 55 has an extending lip 58which serves to prevent the ply of material under it from curling up inthe way of the folding fingers. In practice one ply of material liesupon the top of blade 54 and the other passes under blade 55. The bladesare so adjusted in relation to the needle that the edge of the upper oneshall project slightly beyond the stitching line according to thedistance it is desired to have the stitching set in from the finishededge. In this respect this distance can be varied by loosening screw i8and moving the former 's'l? slightly on its base 71, Fig. 3, theelongated slot in the former in connection with the screw permitting ofsuch adjustment.

The device provided for bending and infolding the margin of the upperply 56 around and under the edge of folding blade is seen in Figs. 5 and6 and consists of a rocking claw 23 which is hinged to the upper side ofthe presser jaw 24 on the pivot 25. It has two fingers 26 which, as thejaw descends, engage the margin of the ply and fold it around and underthe edge of folding blade 54 into the position seen in Fig. 7. This clawis oscillated by means of the conneeting rod 21 which is pivoted to theupper arm of the claw and has its other end connected with the upper armof lever 17, Fig. 2, by an adjustable pivot box 19 carried in a slottedway in lever 17 and held in place by the set screw 20, Fig. 3. lever 17is oscillated by means of an eccentric cam 30 which is attached to theshaft 29 of bevel gear 28 which in turn is driven by a pinion gear 27 onthe driving shaft 3.

The presser aw 24 is provided with a depending ledge or shoulder a,which extends from the front edge of the claw 23 to the front end of thejaw. The function of this ledge is to engage the edge of the ply infront of the folding fingers 26, and, as the jaw descends, to close andfirmly hold the upper ply or plies of material against the top and edgeof the blade 5 f after they have been folded and inturned by the claw 26as seen in Fig. 7. This ledge holds the plies fixed in position afterthe claw has released contact therewith in starting its upward strokepreparatory to the next stroke. Without some such protection to hold theplies against the blade, when the claw fingers drew away from the bladethe plies would uncurl and the stitching would not be properly done.

In Fig. l is shown the means for supporting and holding the lower ply ofmaterial and for clamping it to the under blade 55. This consists of avertically reciprocating slide lt from the top of which a ledge or smalltable 4-6 projects to the left. This slide is held and guided by theguide-screw 45 which passes through an elongated slot in the slide. Itslower end is pivoted to a box 42 which is adapted to slip as necessaryin ways in the lever 41. This lever ll is pivoted at 58 to bracket 52 onthe main frame or base, and its free end is interposed between cam 40 onshaft 40, and the top of a spring plug 43 which plays in socket 49.Under the bottom end of plug 5L3 is a spring 50 which acts to force thelever and the connected clamping jaw upwardly against the under ply ofmaterial between the former counter blade 55 and aw t6 thus clamping itin a flat condition against the under side of lip 58, which holds it outof the path of the folding claw. As the thickness of this under ply mayvary with different kinds of material or in number of thicknesses, thespring 50 permits the jaw and lever to be accommodated to these varyingconditions. Cam 4:0 is rotated by gear 38 which is driven by pinion 39on main shaft 3.

A knife 34 Figs. 1, 6, and 8, for trimming the edge of the under ply isprovided which adj ustably attached to a vibrating arm 83 which iscarried by shaft 32. This knife plays through a slot 77 in the needleplate and has a leading tongue (Z which rides against the side of theslot. Shaft 32 is carried in bearings 31, 31, onthe table and isoscillated by an arm 37 which is forked at its lower end as seen in Fig.1, and is swung by the eccentric cam 36, on shaft 3. This knife makestwo strokes to one of the clamping jaw 46.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that the machine isto be used in making shoes, for. which it is specially adapted, theoutside and the lining of which are to be stitched together and trim medat their edges, the two plies are brought together with their edgesflush, and are then inserted in the machine, the upper being placed overblade 5e and the lining under blade 55 as in Fig. 5, the presser beingraised to admit the passage of the upper ply under its foot. The machinebeing started and the parts having taken the positions shown in Fig. 5,the several movements which will occur will be as follows: The stripperfinger will be down with its lower end on the leather. Here it willremain to hold the plies down while the needle rises and is withdrawntherefrom. Then the needle rises, backing as it starts upwardly toproduce the feed movement and then swinging forwardly to position topierce the leather when it shall descend, meantime the presser footdescends and rests upon the leather on the top of blade 54 holding itfirmly. This drop of the presser jaw bends the edge of the upper leatherdown across the edge of blade 54 and concurrently with this drop of thepresser the claw and folding fingers 26 also engage the bent edge of theleather and as the claw rocks on its pivot folds said edge into therecess between the blades and into the position seen in Fig. 7.Concurrently with the drop of the presser 24 the clamping jaw 46 risesand meeting the under ply of leather pushes it up into contact with theunder side of blade 55 and holds it there. At this stage of operationthe knife makes its cutting stroke starting the detached selvage seen inFig. 9. Then the needle commences its downward stroke the strippingfinger following it, the folding claw backs out of tl e groove betweenthe blades, the presser rises and the clamping aws recede togetherleaving the two plies unconfined when the needle feeds by swingingbackwardly to the first described position when the same movements arerepeated for the next stitch.

I therefore claim as my invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent, the following:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary former blade and means for clamping a ply of material, to oneside thereof, with a reciprocating folding claw adapted to oscillate ina plane transverse to the plane of the blade and of its operative edgeand to engage the upper side of the ply and by a direct oscillatorystroke to fold the free edge of the ply across the blade-edge and underand against its bottom side, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a formerhaving two blades about the edge of one of which a ply of material maybe folded and the other of which having a portion extending beyond theengaging edge of the other blade to prevent such folding, jaws forclamping material against the outer surfaces of both of said blades,means for folding said material about the edge of one of said blades,and means for operating said clamping and folding means, substantiallyas specified.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means forholding and supporting two plies of material with their edges separatedso as to leave a space between them, reciprocating means for infoldingthe edge of one of said plies upon itself leaving the edge of the otherply projecting beyond the folded edge so formed, means for sewing saidplies together through said folded edge, and means for trimming theprojecting surplus of material from the unfolded edge, substantially asspecified.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair offormer blades, means for pressing plies of material against the outersides of said blades, means for infolding the edge of one of said pliesupon the inside of its supporting blade, means for preventing theinfolding of the edge of the opposite ply: a sewing mechanism and meansfor trimming the edge of said opposite ply, substantially as specified.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair offormer blades, a pair of jaws for pressing plies of material againsttheoutersides of said blades, a folding claw mounted and pivoted upon oneof said clamping jaws, having folding fingers adapted to eagagc the edgeof one of said plies and fold it around the edge of its supportingblade, means for oscillating said claw, and reciprocating said jaws, anda ewing mechanism, substantially as specified.

(3. The combination with a presser jaw and a stationary former providedwith a blade, of a folding claw pivoted on said jaw, the pre r jawadapted to engage said upper surfa of the clamped material to fold theedge thereof around and under the edge of the blade, and means foroscillating said claw, substantially specified.

T. In a machine for sewing together the edges of two plies of material,the combination therewith of a former blade, reciprocatii means forfolding the edge of one ply over id blade before it is sewed, and meansfor trinnning off the surplus edge of the other ply after it is sewed,substantially as specified.

8. in a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary former blade and means for claniping a ply of material to oneside thereof, with a reciprocating folding claw adapted to oscillate ina plane transverse to the plane of the blade and of its operative edgeand to engage the upper side of the ply and by a direct oscillatorystroke to fold the free edge of the ply across the blade edge and underand against its bottom side and a plate carried by the former bladeconstructed and arranged to prevent the turning of the edge of the lowerlayer of material when fed in line with the edge of the upper layer.

i). In a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary former blade and means for clamping a ply of material to oneside thereof, with a pivoted folding member adapted to oscillate in aplane transverse to the plane of the blade and of its operating edge andto engage the upper side of the ply and by a direct oscillatory stroketo fold the free edge of the ply across the blade edgz and under andagainst its under side, and an operating lever connected to said foldingmember.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary former blade and means for clamping a ply of material to oneside thereof, with a pivoted folding member adapted to oscillate in aplane transverse to the plane of the blade and of its operating edge andto engage the upper side of the ply and by a direct oscillatory stroketo fold the free edge of the ply across the blade edge and under andagainst its under side, an operating lever connected to said foldingmember, and power driven mechanism for said lever.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary plate, means mo able relative to the stationary plate forengaging the upper surface of the material to be folded and holding itin clamped engagement with the stationary plate, and a pivoted foldercarried by said means arranged to swing over the edge thereof and underthe stationary plate to fold the material under and against the bottomside of said plate.

1'2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of astationary plate adapted to receive the upper layer of material, amovable presser member carrying a projection adapted in the loweringmovement of the member to overlap the edge of the stationary plate andthe material and thereby fold the material, and a pivoted folder on saidmember arranged to swing over said projection and under the station aryplate for engaging the free edge of the folded material with the underside of the plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

DAG-OBERT ZEISER.

lVitnesses FANNY N. lVILooX, FRANKLIN Score

